A/N: CHAPTER 3!!! Yess! Hello, again! Thanks for coming/coming back!! I hope people like this story, because I enjoy writing it! I've gotten some great reviews, which I am very thankful for. Ooh! Segue! Haha. Thanking time! Okay, listing. Thanks to: azn_dichi, Elizabeth, Marissa, and, of course, Molly Raesly!! Oh, Jaylyn. What would I do without you? This story wouldn't be out, if it weren't for you. THANK YOU! Hah! I said something "sickeningly sweet" about you again! What are you gonna do now, huh? Now, everyone who is reading this, please, after you read and review this story, read Sweet by Molly Raesly. It's amazing. Believe me. And she deserves the reviews. Now...chapter 3? I think so.

~*~Chapter 3: “What are you doing, in bed with HIM?”

I stopped walking and stared wide-eyed at him. “Oh, I am so sorry. Here I am, excitedly badgering you for a stupid clue, not thinking that it could be that deep and serious. Honestly, I’m sorry.”

He chuckled a little. “It’s alright.”

“No, seriously!”

He rolled his eyes at my stubbornness. “Jenyse! It’s alright!” He flashed me a reassuring smile.

I eyed him, trying to make sure I didn’t make him sad in any way. “You’re sure?”

“Do you want me to change my mind?” he asked, exasperatedly.

“No! Of course not!” We began walking slowly again. “So, this whole ‘one a day’ thing…is it just a sentence or is it open for elaboration?”

He smiled his crooked smile. “I guess some elaboration could be fair.” I grinned at him, thankful that he was willing. He paused, and I kept my patience and kept my mouth shut. When he started, he spoke quietly. “My dad passed away a year after I was born, and my mum passed when I was seven, so I only have a few clear memories of my mum.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. That must be really hard; always hearing things about other people’s parents, when you can’t reply back, or know what they mean.”

“Yeah, sometimes. It’s fine, though. I don’t mind it. It happens.”

“Mmm….” I didn’t know what else to say.

“Sorry…I didn’t mean to darken the mood.”

“Don’t worry about it. Do you have any siblings?”

“No. I’m an only child.”

“Oh, must be lonely.”

“Well, I’ve got you,” he said, jokingly. There was a short pause before he broke it. “Hey…did you ever think that maybe…we were…meant to meet?” He looked down, embarrassed.

I sighed. “Oh, please don’t tell me you’re one of those people. Because a raindrop fell in the ocean ten thousand years ago, and a butterfly farted in India, you and I are standing right here, right now, enjoying a little heart-to-heart.”

He laughed. “Anything’s possible.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to hide my smile. We reached an open hallway, and he stopped, just as I expected. I tried to hold back a pout when I said, “Why are you so secretive about us hanging out?”

“Now, Ms. …”

“Baccari,” I filled in.

“…Ms. Baccari…that would be a whole other fact. Why don’t we save that for a rainy day?”

“Fine. Are you sure you don’t want to join on Saturday?” I may have been pushing it, but I didn’t care.

“I’m positive. Another time. Some day,” he said with a small frown.

“Fine,” I repeated. “Well, you better start thinking up some more clues, ‘cause this ain’t the last of me. One a day.” I pointed a finger at him warningly.

“Plus elaborations,” he reminded me.

“Oh, how could I have forgotten?” I laughed. “Well, I’ve gotta blaze.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“You bet! Bye.” I shot him one more fleeting glance, and ran off to the common room.

“My dear servants! Come hither, and relieve me of my boredom!” I said, considerably loudly, as I climbed through the portrait hole, expecting at least one of my friends to be in there. Aaand they weren’t. Damn. I always find a way to make a fool of myself. A couple of first years took hesitant steps toward me, unsure if I was ordering them around. I sighed at my own idiocy. Other students were looking at me expectantly, as if waiting for the ‘show’ to continue. “Oookay. Never mind. Nothing to see here, folks. Maybe another day, but until then, mind your own business and…stay in school.” I rushed up the boys’ dormitory stairs and into the seventh boys’ dorm. I was friends with all of them that lived in that room, so whatever I said this time would pass. “Okay, so I’m a moron.” I didn’t even notice who was in the room. I walked straight to Sirius’s bed – the one straight across from the door – and plopped down onto it. I covered my face with my hands. I heard a big squeak from a bed to my right and pictured one of the inhabitants of the room in their boxers, jumping behind the curtains of their four-poster, to hide themselves from me. I heard chuckles and more movement to my left, and gathered that there was more than one guy in the room.

“What’d you do this time, Jenyse?” I heard James ask.

“Oh! Geeze, a little warning would be nice, Baccari!” said the one I supposed jumped behind the bed curtains: Corbin Stoker.

I laughed. “Sorry, Corbin. Somebody relieve me of my boredom!” I said into Sirius’s pillow, that I had pulled over my face.

Somebody snorted. “Is that what you said when you walked into the common room?” It sounded like Remus. I wondered where Travis was.

“Shut up, Remus.” I felt the bed sink, by my head, on my left. I peeked up, from under the pillow. Just as I assumed, it was Remus, still smiling at the fact that he had predicted my stupidity correctly.

“I apologize, fair lady,” he said. “What do you feel like doing?” He began to play with my hair.

“Get your hand off of my hair, unless you want me to fall asleep.” I always fall asleep, about five minutes after someone starts playing with my hair. I bet if I were a hair model, they’d pick me as the “bed head” model. All they’d have to do is give me a head massage, then wake me up twenty minutes later. Huh…I wonder how much they get paid….

Remus chuckled. “What if that was my intent?”

I shot up into sitting position, and eyed him. “You guys are tired of me! I never thought it’d happen! You’re just trying to get me to fall asleep so you don’t have to deal with me! Either that or…you’re planning something; a prank…on me! Gits!” I mocked a freak-out, although my accusations were real.

“Sirius is with his latest girl, and Peter is…somewhere,” Remus said, clearly not knowing where.

“And Travis?”

“You really think we’d know where he is?” James said.

I shrugged. Worth a try. “Okay, fine. Do what you please with my hair,” I decided, as I lay back down.

“What’s with the change of mind?” Remus asked, laughing.

“Well, you two clearly won’t help me have some form of fun, so….” Remus shrugged and resumed playing with my hair.

“Where were you, anyway, if you weren’t with us or Decker?”

Uh-oh. “Um…library.”

“Looking up what?” I pointed at the floor, where I had carelessly dropped the library books when I came in. I felt Remus’s hand pause as he picked one up. He read the title out loud. And of course, it just happened to be Skittish Witch. Ugh. What is up with that book? Has it got a magnet to guys’ eyes, or something? All of the other books are for guys! Look at those! I heard him sigh and say, “Jenyse, how many times do we have to remind you that Peter’s a guy?” I swatted a hand at him.

James laughed. “No, Moony, I think the book is for Decker.” They both burst out laughing. I elbowed Remus and threw the pillow in James’s direction. My chaser skills came through, when it went straight to his head, and to my dismay, James’s chaser skills came through, when he caught it. Damn. I got Remus in the stomach, though! That’s a plus!

“Okay, enough cracking on Travis. I’m going to sleep. And if Sirius comes in and wants his bed back, tell him, ‘tough luck.’ I got here first. Remus! Your services, please!” I could feel James’s smirk radiate off of him, as he either went back to reading a Quidditch magazine or writing songs to Lily; I couldn’t tell, with all of the excited “Ooh!’s”.

Five minutes later, I was out like Peter, after the Annual Summer Cheese Fair in my town.

I woke up in the middle of the night. I looked at the clock on Sirius’s bedside table. It read 2:43. I was going to get up and go to my dorm, but was suddenly too lazy. I looked down at the floor beside the bed, and found Sirius sleeping there, with just a blanket and a pillow. He looked so peaceful, laying there, dreaming of things I was sure I didn’t want to know, but I knew he’d wake up, hurting from the solid floor. I turned onto my side, reached down, and gently shook him awake.

“Sirius,” I whispered. “Sirius, come on, wake up.” He grunted. “Sirius, come on. You’re going to be in pain, if you stay there, the rest of the night.” He stretched his arms over his head, and finally opened his eyes to look at me.

“What are you doing in my bed?”

“I fell asleep here. Get up here.” I scooted over, a bit, to make room for him.

I heard him get up and chuckle. “Oh, Jenyse, I didn’t know you were that into me.” He got settled next to me, under the covers.

I glared at him through the darkness. “Do you want me to shove you back onto the floor?”

For the rest of the night, I dreamed about Alec. I woke up, – for real this time – troubled. Why would I be dreaming about Alec? It was strange. We had only met each other the other day. He was an interesting guy, but that didn’t mean anything. I pushed the thoughts of the dream away, knowing there was no meaning to it.

I went to roll myself off of the bed, but found that I couldn’t. I looked down to my waist and saw Sirius’s arm around me, protectively. I sighed and muttered, “Geeze, Sirius. Not only are you protective during the day, but in your sleep too.” I attempted to wrench his arm off of me, but every time I tried, his grip became stronger. I looked around, helplessly to find something to get him off, but all I saw were the curtains surrounding me. Aha! Curtains! Sunlight! I grabbed the end of it and threw it open.

I jumped, and almost screamed. I heard a pained grunt from Sirius, who, I guess, I accidentally elbowed in the stomach when I jumped. Standing there, blocking the sunlight, with crossed arms and a murderous glare, was Travis. “Merlin! What the hell are you doing, just standing there?! Make a noise, or something!”

“What are you doing, in bed with him?” he asked, angrily.

Recovered from the pain, Sirius said, “Why? You jealous, Decker?” teasingly. He tightened his arm around me, intentionally, this time.

Travis turned red, of anger. “Where were you last night?” he questioned, trying to ignore Sirius.

“Uh, here, dad, why?” He was really beginning to irritate me.

“No, before that. After the library. You said you’d meet me in the common room. You didn’t show up for a long time, so I went to look for you,” he said, softening up in the slightest bit.

Shit. I mentally hit myself. I opened my mouth to apologize, but was cut off by Sirius. “Aw, how sweet. Did you hear that, Sylly?” he said, using the name they formed from my middle name, that they used to call me in first year. “He was looking for you!”

“Sirius, shut up.” I elbowed him, again, with the elbow I wasn’t using to prop myself up. “Travis, I am so sorry.”

“Where were you?”

Oh. Shit. Curse you, Alec, for making me promise not to tell anybody. “I was just finishing up in the library, like I said I was,” I lied quickly.

“Really? Because, I checked there, and Madam Finn said you’d left already.”

“Well then, you were too late.”

“But if you had already left when I was going there, we would’ve passed each other in the hallway.” Damn him and his logic!

“Oh, for the love of–” I shut Sirius up with another jab.

I sighed. “Fine. I was with Evans, planning Saturday. I came back and you weren’t there, so I came up here to talk to James and Remus, and fell asleep.” Okay, so the first was a lie, but the rest was true! That counts for something, doesn’t it?

He softened. “Oh. Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”

“Because I knew you’d get mad or something, about me still planning the trip. Sorry, Travis. Go down to breakfast. I need to change, then I’ll meet you there.” He looked at me sternly. “I promise.” I flashed him a fleeting smile. He nodded and left the room. Once the door clicked shut, I turned on Sirius, with the most menacing glare I could muster. “What the bloody hell was that for?!” I punched him in the chest.

“Hey! Stop it with the abuse!” He rubbed where I hit him. “He was the one being a jerk!”

I couldn’t disagree, so I settled on, “Yeah, but you didn’t have to be one back!”

“How was I being a jerk back?!”

“Uh…” I started, like it was obvious, “’You jealous?’ ‘How sweet?’” My hand ached to hit him again, but I restrained, before I really did get abusive.

“So what?”

“Argh!” I shoved the covers off and tried to get up, but his arm was restraining me again. I looked back at him, aggravated. “Get off of me.”

I gave in. I didn’t like fights and drama. Hence all of my friends are guys. “Ugh, fine. You know I can’t hold grudges.”

A big grin grew across his face and he hugged me. “Love you, Jenyse!”

I smiled. “Love you too, Sirius.” He finally released me. I got up and gathered my books. I rushed out, receiving weird looks from guys, along the way, and up into my dorm. I took a quick shower, changed, then ran to the Great hall, tripping, occasionally. I found Travis, alone, as always, and sat across from him, out of breath. “Hey, Trav.”

“Hey, Jenyse. Sorry about being a jerk back there.” He smiled, sheepishly.

“Don’t worry about it. What’s up?”

“Nothing.”

“No surprise there,” I muttered, and he heard, but decided to ignore me.

“So what were you planning? And why with Evans?”

“Just where we’d all meet and when. As for Evans; what can I say? She’s excited.” I shrugged, off-handedly.

“Really?” he asked, leaning over, all of a sudden interested.

I told him about the whole conversation between Evans and me, just to keep his mind from finding out I lied.

I spent up until after lunch with Travis, hoping that the guilty feeling in me for lying to him would go away. I wandered the halls, looking out of each window I passed. The sun glistened off of the light sheet of snow on the ground. I stopped and watched the Whomping Willow shake the snow off of its branches. The sight reminded me of when my siblings and I buried my one older brother in snow, while he was making a snow angel with his eyes closed. He had stayed under the piled snow, longer than we had expected him to. Since I was the youngest, they made me approach him, cautiously. He had jumped out, scaring us, and shaking the snow off of himself, he chased us. This was long ago, but it was one of the random memories that stayed with me throughout the years, always coming back whenever it snowed. I laughed quietly, to myself, and jumped when I heard someone whisper in my ear.

“Penny for your thoughts, Ms. Baccari?”

I smirked. “My thoughts are worth more of a galleon than a penny,” I said, turning to face Alec.

He raised an eyebrow, smiling. “I bet they are….”

As ritual, we walked along the more-enclosed corridors. “You, sir, have been causing a bit of drama among some of my friends,” I accused.

“Really? How so? Wait, you haven’t…” He looked at me, a little frightened and worried.

“No. I haven’t told anyone,” I told him, in a firm voice. He examined me for a bit longer, before he nodded, convinced. He gave me a look, as if to say, ‘go on.’ “Well, yesterday when we talked, I was supposed to meet Travis.”

“Oh….” He shot me a guilty glance. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. I just feel bad about lying to him.”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in a position like this.”

“No, it’s fine, Alec. Don’t worry about me.”

“Alright….” We walked in a short comfortable silence. “So, this hole clue thing? It’s harder than I’d thought it’d be.”

“Why do you say that?” I smiled.

“I’ve realized that I’m not that interesting of a person. I’m an orphan, so that covers all of the family stuff. I can’t think of anything else to tell you.”

“Oh, come on. There has got to be something else,” I pushed. “You’ve only given me one fact.”

“Yeah, a major fact. There’s nothing else that interesting. I mean, you automatically know my personality from just talking to me, and you obviously know my appearance.”

“Come on, Alec. Just think.”

And think he did, until he finally gave up. “You know what? I’ll let you have your pick. What do you want to know about me?” He stretched out his arms, as if he were an open book.

I was going to protest, wanting to know what he thought was engaging about himself, but instead jumped on the offer. “Okay, why are you so mysterious and secretive?”

“Next question, please.”

“But to-”

“Next question, please,” he repeated, more firmly.

“Fine.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “What’s your real name?” He gave me a tiring look. “Okay, okay. Um…okay. I know you’re of age now, but you said you don’t have a family. Where did you live?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one. A muggle orphanage.”

“So you’re muggle-born?”

“Oh, no. Both of my parents were purebloods. I was just sent to a muggle one. No idea why, though.”

I nodded, as I etched all of this into my brain, then smirked. He saw, and questioned me with his eyes. “You do realize you just gave me two facts.”

“Oh, please. My blood is barely a factor of my profile. So I’m pure-blood. Whoopee. Let’s have a dance, shall we?” he said, sarcastically, rolling his eyes. I laughed, glad that he thought that way. “So what about you? Who is Jenyse Baccari?” He smiled, ruining his mock-deeply-interested-and-curious front.

The rest of our conversation was centered around me. I told him my middle name, my birthday, my hometown, and all of the basics. I told him about my family, a little guiltily, knowing he didn’t have any: my parents’ jobs (he seemed especially interested in my dad being a healer at St. Mungo’s); how I was the youngest in the family; my siblings (my sister Jace, and my brothers Jarron and Jayden); how my mum was obsessed with exotic, “J” names; and that I was half-blood. I told him all about how I was, here in Hogwarts: my favorite subject (Defense Against the Dark Arts); that I was Chaser for Gryffindor (not being egotistical or anything, but I was surprised he hadn’t noticed me); and my reputation (lots of detentions, but still a good student…I hoped). I told him about my friends: more about Travis; and all about the Marauders (minus their other forms), whom he did seem to know, which was no surprise. And I told him about all of the little, random things about me: my addiction to coffee; my favorite kinds of books; my plans of never becoming anything medical; my favorite music; my obsession with sports (magic and muggle, whether I could play them or not); my liking of “weird” combinations of food, like french-fries dipped in ice cream, or potato chips dipped in chocolate pudding; my enjoying of writing, which he made fun of me for because I “don’t seem the type”; my awesome car (a ’67 Chevy Impala); my pet fish (alive and dead); and many other things. He would make little comments and smart remarks when I’d tell him something that particularly peaked his interest. Once in a while, I’d stop to make sure he wasn’t getting tired. He just encouraged me to continue, so I blabbed away.

Once I had run out of things to say (which may have seemed impossible to him), it was already pretty late. Halfway through my autobiography, we had grown tired of walking, so we had settled on sitting on the floor of a – once again – secluded hallway. I looked at my watch and it read ‘9:53.’ Reluctantly, I got up and we exchanged ‘goodbyes’ and waves. I went to bed – my own this time – and fell asleep, happy to have something to look forward to, everyday.

~*~

A/N: Yay! So, thanks for reading! You guys know the drill: review please! Comments! Suggestions! Concerns! Corrections! Favorite parts! I'd love to know which parts you particularly liked. That is, if there were any parts you liked. Thank you all, again!